Scientists discover world's deepest-dwelling fish species

In a significant discovery, scientists have filmed the world's deepest-dwelling fish.

The creature, which has got a bizarre look is an unknown species of snailfish and the researchers captured it on camera during a recent expedition to the deepest place on earth, the Mariana Trench.

Researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Insitute said they were surprised when the fish was filmed several times during sea floor experiments at 8143 metres below the surface - 500 metres deeper than the previous record.

The white fish is translucent and has broad winglike fins and an eel-like tail. "When findings and records such as these can be broken so many times in a single trip, we really do get the feeling we are at the frontier of marine science," said Dr Alan Jamieson.

"We think it is a snailfish, but it's so weird-looking. It's up in the air in terms of what it is," he said. "It is unbelievably fragile, and when it swims, it looks like it has wet tissue paper floating behind it. And it has a weird snout - it looks like a cartoon dog snout."

The Hadal Ecosystem Studies (HADES) expedition was different from other expeditions as it sampled a broad spectrum of environments using five deep-sea vehicles at depths from 5000-10,600 metres.

"Many studies have rushed to the bottom of the trench, but from an ecological view that is very limiting," said co-chief scientist Dr Jeff Drazen. '"It's like trying to understand a mountain ecosystem by only looking at its summit."

Wendy Schmidt, co-founder and vice president of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, said: "Rarely, do we get a full perspective of the ocean's unique deep environments. The questions that the scientists will be able to answer following this cruise will pave the way for a better understanding of the deep sea, which is not exempt from human impact."